Doron medicum, or, A supplement to the new London dispensatory in III books : containing a supplement I. to the materia medica, II. to the internal compound medicaments, III. to the external compound medicaments : compleated with the art of compounding medicines ... / by William Salmon ...

VII. The Process of the Elixir according to Pontanus.

49. Take the matter and grind it with a Physical con∣trition, as dilligently as may be, then set it upon the Fire, and let the proportion of the Fire be known, to wit, that it only stir up the matter; and in a short time that fire, without any other laying on of Hands, will accomplish the whole Work, because it will putrefy, corrupt, gene∣rate and perfect, and make to appear, the three principal colours, black, white, and red. And by the means of

Our fire, the Medicine will be multiplyed, if it be con∣joyned with the crude mat∣ter, not only in quantity, but also in Virtue. Withal they might therefore search out this Fire, which is mineral, equal, continual, vapours not away, except it be too much stirred up; pertakes of Sul∣phur, is taken from else∣where, then from the mat∣ter; putteth down all things, dissolveth, congealeth, and calcines, and is artificial to find out, and that by a com∣pendious and near way, without any cost, at least very small, is not transmuted with the matter, (because it is not matter) and thou shalt attain thy wish, because it doth the whole Work, and is the Key of the Philosophers, which they never revealed.